Less than 12% Brazilians approve of interim government

Brasilia, June 9 (IANS) Less than 12 per cent Brazilians approve of the interim government led by acting President Michel Temer, according to a survey.

The survey carried out by polling firm MDA and commissioned by the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) showed on Wednesday that only 11.3 per cent of Brazilians approve of the new government, while 28 per cent disapprove, Xinhua news agency reported.

It is the first such survey since Brazil’s Senate voted to suspend Dilma Rousseff as president, pending her impeachment trial on charges of covering up the extent of the public deficit, and designated her vice president interim leader on May 12.

Some 30.2 per cent of Brazilians rated Temer’s government as doing a so-so job, while another 30.5 per cent declined to answer.

A CNT/MDA poll carried out in February, prior to Rousseff’s suspension, showed her government’s approval rating was similarly low (11.4 per cent), though its disapproval rate was more than double, 62.4 per cent.

Amid economic woes and the biggest corruption scandal in the country’s history, Rousseff’s personal approval rate was at 21.8 percent, with her disapproval rate at 73.9 per cent.

While Temer’s center-right Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) has taken over from Rousseff’s left-leaning Workers’ Party (PT), 54.8 percent of those queried said there was no difference between the two governments and no perceivable change in the country.

Another 20.1 per cent said they felt things have improved and positive changes are taking place, while 14.9 per cent said things have taken a turn for the worse.